Rode NT1 vs AKG c214 - Both Are Good for Different Things, Pick One! (Budget Microphone Review)
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- čas přidán 16. 06. 2024
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Today we take a look at the Rode NT1 and the AKG c214. Both of these mics are fabulous, some of my favorite microphones you can get for this price range. BUT they perform best in completely different settings. Unlike the Rode NT1a, the Rode NT1 has a very different frequency response than the AKG c214. ALSO unlike the AKG c414, the c214 isn''t as flexible. In this budget microphone review, find out which one is best for you!
Timestamps:
The Review: 00:00
Demonstrations: 08:20
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In case you want to know what gear I use all the time.
These are amazon affiliate links, so I get a percentage of the sale if you buy from these links, it's a nice way to support the channel!
Interface:
Scarlett 18i20 2nd Gen- amzn.to/2P4SXtl
Microphones:
NT1 - amzn.to/2NUoBJK
SM57 - amzn.to/2P1pUXC
Synths and Controllers:
Launchpad Pro Mk. 3 - amzn.to/3rl502V
Arturia MicroBrute - amzn.to/31eFSQL
Amp:
Boss Katana MKII-50 - amzn.to/3dNj40c
Software and DAWs
Ableton Live (Not an affiliate link)- www.ableton.com/en/shop/live/
Avid Pro Tools - amzn.to/3cjE5QN
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EDIT: Without spoiling anything, the SECOND microphone revealed after the blind test is MICROPHONE 2. Sorry for the typo everyone!! Also, these affiliate links support the channel if this vid helped you! Thanks friends :)
Amazon:
Rode NT1- amzn.to/2NUoBJK
AKG c214 - amzn.to/3hgwQvy
Sweetwater:
Rode NT1 - imp.i114863.net/oeaZVO
AKG c214 - imp.i114863.net/Zde3JR
Dear Audiohaze do you recommend the NT1 on drum overhead(s)?
This was very helpful! Looks like I'll keep using the NT1 :D
Great review, man! I bought the AKG c214 after my college audio engineering instructor recommended it, but to this day I feel like my ears aren't trained enough to justify the purchase. It's really interesting to compare your commentary to Podcastage, have you watched his review?
Yeah! Me and Bandrew are good internet friends haha, I try to avoid his review for mics I know I will review because I don't necessarily want any outside influence, but love his content :)
Wow, what a difference!!! That's pretty impressive. Big thumbs up 👍
Thanks Peter!
Great demo, thanks!!
Your welcome! :)
I really liked more your voice on the AKG C-214, because it sounds less nasal and more spacious, I think i'm grabbing one ;) , thank you very much for the review.
Happy to help!
The AKG sounds a bit more balanced on the acoustic guitar. The Rode sounded a bit boomier.
On the vocals it was less noticeable but still there. However, I must agree that the high-end was nicer on the Rode.
My experience with the Rode is that, once you start layering vocals, that high-end boost becomes too harsh and difficult to handle.
Thanks for the insight my friend!
According to the frequency graphs the NT1 has a very flat response with a really smooth hf lift of around 2dB, while the C214 is a lot less consistent and has a hf lift of around 5dB. Well, the sound isn't in the graphs, but usually they should tell at least something.
@@JiihaaS I don't have hands-on experience with the C214 so I can't comment on it but with the Rode I have that experience that I talked about. It works nicely on my voice but when I record some female voice it can be a bit tricky
This was absolutely fantastic! This video has been a big help to me, thanks. Also, good job on getting someone to do some real singing to test the microphones. There seem to be alot of informative videos on youtube. However, spoken word just doesn't tell the whole story of how a mic responds. Cheers!
Thanks for the review goin with da nt1a
If you like mics with a good low range, check out the Aston Element. A common complaint of that mic is that it has a great low end and the expense of the highs. Not a problem for me as when I sing, I’m a Bass with some creep into baritone range. Plus, I play bass for a reason- I prefer low range sound.
With mic modeling becoming more popular, the sound of a mic may be less important with technical specs like noise floor, distortion, etc. more important.
True, stuff like the slate ML-1 are really interesting mics I haven't been able to hear before, thats a good point. And I'll check out the Aston! I need to start making a list of the different mics I'll need to try soon. Since I'm moving away from the college I'll need to start purchasing my own soon :/
Hi love your video! Would you recommend the c214 for someone with a naturally deeper female voice or the nt1? Thx a ton
I always found that my voice sounds rather a bit muffled and not too clear when recorded... so I'd definitely go for the AKG C214 'cause I really need some support in the higher range...
Maybe change mic/recording position
Great video man! Do you remember my comment in the video of the C414? I have asked you about how the -20dB pad could be useful for record a french horn (or loud ensemble). Guess what... I find the stero set of AKG C214 in Amazon UK for 400€, with taxes and everything (I live in Germany, but I'm from Venezuela), and I couldn't let that go! Normally in Germany, one C214 cost 300€ and the srereo set 600€ and I bought the stereo set new for 400€... So, I also have the Røde NT1 and I like it (I used like 1 year for my Zoom lessons, Twitch streamings and recordings), but I tested the C214 and I fell in love with it! It's amazing! For my voice it feels better and add more presence and bass to my voice (my voice is quite high and maybe quite nasal), and comparing the recording of my voice between the two mics, you can feel almost no bass coming out my KRK Rokit RP5 G4 with the Røde NT1, but with the AKG C214 it's another history! My desk rumble nicely with the bass and I love how it makes my voice sounds more "masculine" haha... And I also tested it in the zoom lessons with my students, and they said, with the new C214 they could hear me better and with more presence than with the NT1 (I can't apply any kind of EQ over Zoom for my voice) and for streaming on Twitch it's also great, and whit the EQ it's fantastic!
I also did the test with the french horn with the stereo set, and it's amazing how well and natural they capture the sounds and harmonics! The sound is deeper and warmer than the sound I get from my stero pair of Røde NT5 (small diaphragm condensers).
I didn't say that the Røde NT1 or the Røde NT5's are bad! They are great and I gonna keep the NT1 maybe to have more versatility to record singers and/or other kind of instruments! And even mix all the mics for ensembles, or French horn and piano (putting the NT5's on the piano, the C214's in from of me with the French Horn and the NT1 quite behind of my bell... I don't know, let's see)... But I'm really enjoying this mics :) I also gonna start using the 2 C214's for the 2nd season of my podcast, having conversations with some musicians.
Thanks for all the videos and your valuable work man! Keep doing it! Crack, bestia, titan, máquina, ídolo 😁
Dude thats amazing! You got a GREAT deal on those AKG's! Thank you for your kind words and I'm glad you found a mic for your voice with the c214 :) honestly the more I tried it during this review the more I wanted to buy one for myself, maybe one day! I think it would be killer on guitar cabs and overheads
Nice job. I have the Rode NT1, Rode NT1A, AKG C214, and T.Z. Audio, Stellar X2 and each bring a different sound to the studio. Cheers.
Great picks :)
@@AudioHaze Thanks.
Lil peep mics stealer
Which would you recommend more? Rode NT1A or AKG C214? I'm looking at both mics and I have no clue which one to get. I'm also looking at the LCT 440, but still, I don't know.
The Rode NT1 for the win. Cheers!
I’m looking to upgrade after like 7 years.
For a rap artist with a deep voice who doesn’t do much high pitch vocals would the Akg c214 be the best? That’s what I’m leaning towards any recommendations are appreciated thanks!
I am a musician that is at ground zero for recording and wanted to buy a mic that could do VO in case I needed it but also want a condenser. This is the way, now I can spend more on a condenser.
Thank you for this video my voice is similar to the singer and I loved the NT1 as well , I'm gonna order it now 🤣
Enjoy it!!
Hey man, great job as always!
I had an idea for your channel - could you make a Basics series? For example - Basics of Mixing, Recording, Getting The Best Sound, and all that jazz (pun intended).
Would have been helpful when I was starting out, for I didn't find it anywhere, and if there was something, it was full of jargon - and I think you're super qualified to deliver it.
Also, what post processing do you do w.r.t the audio in your videos?
That's a great idea! I saw your comment yesterday but I was out and about, I wrote it down on my list of ideas for the future videos. I've done basics of recording guitar and acoustic guitar, but what were you thinking? Something about vocals or just in general?
@@AudioHaze So something like mini-courses on:
(1) How to get the best vocals at home
(2) Tips and tricks for better recordings
(3) How to take care of your mic?
(4) Stuff you should know when you get your first mic
(5) Learn mixing basics in 2 hours [playlist or something]
Just some ideas off the top of my head ^^
@@thisisritzy Definitely GREAT ideas, I’m currently moving but when I have a home again I’m going to do these 😂
Could you please add to that, how to interpret the spec sheet? Please include numbers in a range, like 5db to 10 dB noise is a good place to start. I just threw out numbers. I don't know what the range would be...
that was a nice demonstration really appreciate that but to me rode had upper hand in both the vocals and guitar i was expecting rode to be slightly more muddier then akg but it was opposite in mine oppinion rode sounded better.
Nice! Well glad I could help you make a decision at the least :)
The blue line you found is for the old 90s nt1...the black we know today is a completely different microphones inside and outside who supposed to be the continuation of the nt1 brand...new much better if you want my opinion.
Hmm, I have owned both for several years, but have yet to open, and try the AKG 214.. but you should use the same filters to compare in sound as the foam cover will cut more highs than that pop filter
Which mic do you suggest for Voice over? I want to get low, bold deep voice like movie trailer voice over sound. AKG c214 or Shotgun mic or Rode NT1?
In the guitar it was easy for me .. cause I take my guitar through an AKG P170 and it helped me to figure out which one is the AKG !! They sounds almost the same .. I have an Audio-technica AT4040 I’ll sell it and buy a C214..
Nice video thanks
Thanks :)
07:28 Buyers basically have to yolo it to find a mic that suits them 🥲
This is accurate.
Can you make a comparison of the microphone Rode nt1 and Neuman tlm 102
What would be better for recording vocals?
Thank you!
I don't have access to a TLM 102 unfortunately! But they're great mics, very similar in design. If you could get your hands on a 102, I personally would prefer that mic :)
He made an amazing video on it!
I'm new to recording on something above a $150 mic. I got the akg c214.... sounds really good... until I sing a bit louder... then clips really bad... and I'm not even that loud. Using a Volt 2 interface into Logic pro. Any advice? Thx!!!
The biggest problems with these mics is that I can't afford either lol
As a mic reviewer, I can confirm the struggle is real
i bought the nt1 150 dollars in guitar center used perfect condition its not that expensive if you look around .
Good way to begin with..
I found nt1 on sale for $210 sale only last for few days then it was back for $269. Christmas time you may find it at $220.
Hi, thanks for video. Great.
Thanks Paulo!
C214 Balanced - like - transparet compression. I can "soothe 2" the HI freq little bit.
Bought the C214 and requested a return for refund within an hour. Comparing to my Lewitt LCT 240 there was night and day clarity in the mids/low mids. The C214 would probably be great for guitar cabs. Ordering the Lewitt LCT 441 Flex instead.
Love me some 441 flex!! I did a blind test with a few mics and it one with every contestant who played the "guess and rate' game :) its a video on the channel if you want to check it out czcams.com/video/8SolPo2aMGU/video.html
Hello
Already subscribed :)
I have a high pitched voice (like bruno mars)
And don’t have much power on lower notes.
Do you think the AKG C214 would be good for me ??
Or any other mic you wanna suggest
Like the se2200, lewitt lct 440 pure or at2035.
I want a mic that doesn’t make my voice sound too bright or thin than it already is.
Please help.
Thank you in advance🙏🏻
Ah! Okay if you don’t want an overly bright tone, I’d go with a mic that has a darker tonality to it. Lewitts and AKG’s tend to have a brighter profile. I might look into something like the audio technica line (AT2035, AT4040), or the Rode NT1 :)
@@AudioHaze Thanks a lot :)
Hi. In your opinion, which one is better for female with high pitched voice?( i could say it's like anime-ish voice if you know whats that). Rode nt1 or rode nt1a? And this is for vocal! :) or do you have any other recommendations? Thankyou and sorry to bother!🙇♀️
Hi Jenny! The NT1a has more presence in the high end, so you may prefer the way that sounds on your voice. The NT1 is more smooth, less airy in my opinion. Either way though, they're both amazing microphones :) hope that helps!
I’m afraid to get the rode nt1 bc people are talking about the harshness. But I’m also deciding on whether to get that or the at4040, the Akg, or jus save up for the Nuemann tlm 102. Rn I’m stuck with the at2020
If anyone has advice lmk. I make melodic rap and indie music for reference.
The Nt1's harshness shouldn't be a big deal because it could be fixed in the mix down. Ideally, you shouldn't worry about harshness because you want your recording to be the best, so you don't have to do more work later, however, the issue should be relatively easy to solve by using a De-esser, to reduce the the 7-10k frequency range, which would remove the sibilance from the vocals if done correctly. Just don't overdo the De-esser or you will sound like you have a lisp.
Great stuff!
Thanks man! Glad you liked it!
Love her singing.
What if i am recording rap vocals in my room that is Completely untreated and with wooden floors?? Which mic would you go for??
Me encanta el sonido del akg 214
Hi, could you please compare the Rode NT1 with the BeyerDynamic M90 Pro X? Thanks
As soon as I can get my hands on one I'm down! Thats the bottleneck as a small youtuber
@@AudioHaze Thanks. Just a matter of time, I assure you.
Ummm… You may have labeled the blind guitar test results wrongly? They both said Microphone 1.
I’m better microphone 2 was really the NT1 btw 😁
I DID IM SO SORRY. I made the edit on the pinned comment and tried not to give any spoilers. But NO actually, it was surprising right? the AKG sounded much darker than the NT1 on guitar, even though the mic positions were measured and were the same distance. What a weird world we live in haha
On guitar i think i liked the microphone 2 onez.. And was it Akg c214? if yes than wow it was super smooth and sweet as candy 🍭 . I expected Rode Nt1 to be warmer ones(microphone 2) quite impressive comparison though both have their special characteristics, and can be useful in different situationz.
Hello,
I would like to buy a good USB microphone for dry vocals(singing). Between AT2020USB+, AKG Lyra and Rode NT USB..which one do you recommend?
I'm not very familiar with USB microphones unfortunately, so I'm not sure if I'm the best person to recommend one to you. I trust all of those companies, and I know the AT2020USB+ is a very common and popular microphone. Beyond that though, I'm sorry I'm not sure I can help!
@@AudioHaze No problem...thanks for replying. Keep up the good work.
the 214 Had More Upper Mids On The Blind Guitar Part
Rode NT1 vs Sennheiser MK4, please!
As soon as I can get my hands on the sennheiser you got it!
Is that a Wind shield or Pop filter on AKG C214. I guess you will get different results with Pop filter vs Wind shield.
It does change the tone slightly, but I thought it best to use what came provided with the microphone.
@@AudioHaze It would be great if you could do this with a pop filter just to see the result. Thanks for your efforts and your videos.
Which do you think is better between the akg p420 and the audio technica at2035
I'm a male vocalist
For male vocals, I prefer the AT2035 for that nice present low mid range and good room rejection. That’s just my opinion though :)
how best to de-ess the akg is my only problem...any suggestions?
I recommend using either Waves RDeEsser (constantly on sale for $30), or FabFilter Pro-DS. Both do a great job in de-essing.
I personally use the RDeEsser in a combination with another Waves plugin - Silk Vocal.
This combo makes any harsh sounds non-existent.
If coming from the at2035, do you think these mics are a noticeable step up?
Hm...my instinct is to say no, not because these mics aren't better, but because the at2035 doesn't really have a sound profile similar to either of these, so its not a natural progression in price bracket. Its more similar to the NT1 than c214, but the AT2025 is super low end friendly (despite what the frequency response may say imo), the NT1 is midrange focused, and c214 is great for a sparkly sound. That being said, if you're looking for the most natural progression, the NT1 makes more sense sonically, but the c214 may be a great addition to the AT2035 since they compliment different tones.
@@AudioHaze interesting. Does that mean that when it comes to mics at this level, regardless of price, they dont necessarily sound "better" but rather they just sound different? Because of how affordable the at2035 is, I have always thought that it wouldn't be enough of a vocal microphone for professional use (like the amount of detail it can capture etc). But I'm starting think that maybe these more expensive mics just happen to have a different sound profile rather than actually having a better, more detailed capture of the sound.
@@BladeSaliva Defiinitely, I mean there's definitely solid upgrades, but you happen to have a great mic regardless of price, the AT2035 is awesome. If you're looking to flesh out a studio, I'd go with a different sound profile so you have options (so c214), but if this is for like podcasting (or anything where you exclusively need one mic), these mics will probably just offer different tastes
@@AudioHaze Definitely makes it clearer for me now. Looks like the at2035 will do for now and might just save up for an end game mic in the future, or try out the c214 for a different sound profile. Thanks!
c214 sounds more modern fixing for rap and dancehall
I can definitely see that, its an awesome mic. Doing this review may have convinced me to buy one in the future
I often hear about mics lacking low/mid range and l wonder, is that good or bad for someone that does not have a a low voice? I'm unclear, as l do not have a low voice but do want to get the c214
Yeah thats a super good question! For someone who doesn't have a low voice, we typically want to find a mic that has as much low mid range as possible to beef up your vocal, that is under the assumption that you'd want to sound more "masculine" in the first place though.
@@AudioHaze thanks for the reply, well l guess see how it works with my voice (just bought on sale, $70 off@sweetwater) hopefully it isn't too narrow sounding for my mid/high range voice 🤷🏼♂️
@@AudioHaze l got it and It's a big upgrade overall from my AT2035, but I'm still getting familiar with it. It seems to have more warmth and its a little less crispy. I may use the low cut filter on the side to round it off a but
@@Mondo_182 Do you still use the AKG C214 and do you still like it? I'm thinking of buying it, or the NT1 or Lewitt 440...
@Masse yes I still use the akgc214 for voiceover. I had tested the Lewitt in my studio and found it SUPER sensitive. Like my booth is always whisper quiet but with that you could here a ton of self noise. Maybe it was a bad unit but i didn't like it. I haven't gotten hands on the nt1 but I work with a lot of talent that do and their audio sounds amazing. I really love the quality on the c214. No issues at all
I feel home after watching your video.
😭😭
If you're going to review mics you should learn to use REW to measure the mics, like Julian Krause does, and see the actual differences in frequency response. (You don't need an anechoic chamber to do it.) Manufacturers' published FR curves are usually overly smoothed and often mostly fictitious.
Knowing the EQ curves of your mics is important, so that you can tell how to make one sound more like the other, by matching overall FR, and then listening for OTHER differences.
It's ridiculous that people compare mics without matching overall frequency response. You're generally better off using EQ to make any decent mic sound good with your voice than buying an expensive mic.
In the singing example in this video, it would be good to know whether the audible difference is just a simple matter of basic EQ vs being about rejection of reverberant sound. If you don't know one from the other, you have no idea which is the better mic, even for the given source.
10:52 till 10:56 is the reason i chose a Rode NT1A over the AKG C214. It seems like the AKG would be too risky (and expensiv) as my only mic besides a shure sm58, cuz sometimes its beautifully brilliant but sometimes its really close to hurting my ears. So thanks for saving me some money. ;)
i think the nt1 is more for instruments en voice overs. i dont's recommended for singing. AKG is the best for singing in this video.
The windscreen killed the 214 on vocal. Lost its purity in the top end and made it sound artificial.
NT1 easy. I have both and the c214 is real sibilant and has a harshness to it. The NT1 is smooth. Its funny because he says just the opposite here. You can listen to his S's right here when he switches mics. The c214 is defiantly more harsh and sibilant.
The c214 sounds so open.
It does! Love that mic
11:05 microphone 2?
I wrote a little comment pinned at the top, sorry for the typo!
debieron quitar el filtro de foam...
🙌🏾🙌🏾🙌🏾
The AKG pop filter is not helping so I can't judge
This is the factory pop filter that comes with the mic, it's what many will be using when they first buy it.
If you don't have a treated room with the c214 pointless. your just recording wall reflection
Help
I find it really silly how people doing these mic reviews talk about the self noise stuff. The NT1s low self noise claims are irrelevant. Just marketing hype. All these modern mics,,( i should also say mic pres) have extremely low self noise. Room ambience is so much greater than mic self noise that its pointless to be concerned about it. To state it even more clear,, you could have the best treated space in the world and the ambience will still over power mic self noise! Pay more attention to other specs not marketing hype.
I like the nt1 more
Nice!
She sings really off key...why? My ears?
bro u look like that dude thar reviews album needlepin or some shit
Hahahah yeah I get that a lot
Get a different singer Bro